What if After School Special
by Katy M VT
Summary: From the flashbacks-What if John didn't come back when he did?  Chapter 7 of 7 up.
1. Rent's Late

What if John didn't come back when he did?

"Have you heard from Dad?" Sam asked for the millionth time.

"Not since two days ago," Dean responded. He was getting worried. This job was only supposed to take a week and it had already been three. Plus, he usually called every day when he was gone this long.

There was a knock at the door. Dean got up to answer it.

"Is your Dad here?" Dean recognized the motel manager.

"Not right now," Dean answered.

"Have him come and see me when he gets back. Your room isn't paid up and if he doesn't pay me by tomorrow morning, you're going to have to leave," the man said.

"OK, I'll tell him. He'll come by first thing in the morning," Dean lied.

"He'd better," the man said and left. He really should have kicked them out now, but he felt bad doing that to two kids. It wasn't their fault. He knew the dad probably wouldn't pay, but at least he could take them away in the daylight. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember seeing the dad since they checked in. If there was still no sign of him tomorrow, he would call children's services. He would hate to think that they had been on their own for two weeks. The younger one looked barely 13.

"We'll have to leave in the morning, Sammy," Dean said.

"Where?" Sam asked. Their father had only left them fifty dollars and some groceries. Even though Dean hadn't said anything, he knew they were low. He was pretty sure Dean hadn't been eating lunch in order to make sure he had food.

"You let me worry about that," Dean said and smiled. The smile was just for Sam. He had no idea where they were going to go.

They got up early and packed their stuff and left. Dean realized it was cold in November in Indiana. "Sammy, give me your stuff. You're going to go to school and it would look weird if you're carrying two bags."

"What about you?" Sam asked.

"I'll figure something out."

Sam was torn. He wanted to go to school, but if Dean needed help with something, he wanted to help him.

"It's OK, Sammy. You'll be warmer at school and I'll have an easier time trying to figure something out if I'm not worried about your chattering teeth."

"Are you sure?"

"Go," Dean ordered. He watched as Sam walked off in the direction of school and then sat down on a bench to figure out what to do.

"Winchester," he heard from behind him.

"Jerry, hey." Jerry was the one male friend he had made at that school. He guarded the supply closet door so he could make out with Amanda and then that other chick. He couldn't even remember her name.

"Aren't you going to school today?" Jerry asked as he plopped down beside him.

"No, I'm dropping out," Dean answered. He might as well. He was flunking out and you didn't need a diploma to hunt. He had yet to meet a werewolf that made him take a test before he could gank it.

"How do your parents feel about that?"

"It's just my dad. He doesn't know yet, but I highly doubt he'll care." John Winchester was not big on their schooling. Sam had told their dad that Dean was flunking most of his classes. Dean had been mad at him, but he realized that Sammy meant well. To him, getting good grades was the most important thing ever. His dad had said it didn't matter though. They were only going to school to keep child services off his tail. The only reason Dean hadn't dropped out yet was so that he could keep an eye on Sam.

"What are you going to do if you're not in school?" Jerry asked.

"Good question. Speaking of which, you're going to be late."

"I hardly ever go to school. Your first day was just one I happened to show up. It was fun to watch you operate, and you said you weren't sticking around long, so I'd figure I'd get all my school going in at once this year. "

"Maybe they should put me on stay in school posters," Dean joked.

Jerry laughed. "So, do you want to make some money?"

"That would be great. Do you know about a job or something?" Dean asked. If he couldn't make some money quick, Sam would be eating his last meal at lunch today.

"Not exactly a job."

"What, then?" Dean asked suspiciously. He wasn't going to sell drugs or join a gang.

"I know a place where we can hustle pool."

Dean relaxed. That was right up his alley. "I don't have a stake," he realized. He was completely out of money.

"I'll cover you, if you're any good. I can't play, but I know where all the best marks are."

"I'm not good. I'm great," Dean said. He didn't believe in modesty.

"We'll see about that," Jerry said. "Let's go."

Dean and Jerry walked into the bar. "Aren't they going to kick us out?" Dean had fake ID, but realistically, he knew he couldn't really pass for 21.

"Nobody in this town cards," Jerry assured him.

They headed over to the pool table. A game was in process. Jerry put $50 on the table. "My friend has next game," he said.

When Dean's turn was up, he was told to rack the balls. That meant the other guy got the first turn. That was always bad as there was a chance they could clear the table on their first turn. Dean had done that himself a couple of times. He racked up the balls and waited to see what happened.

The other guy broke and sent three striped balls into the pocket. Dean was worried. This guy was good. The next turn, he sent in two more balls. Then he sent in another one of his balls, but luckily he also sunk the cue ball, so it was Dean's turn.

Dean kept going until he had sunk all his solids. "8 ball in the corner pocket," he said pointing. He made the shot easily and breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he had been nervous playing with someone else's money.

Dean kept playing the rest of the day, winning every game. At 2:00 he went up to Jerry. "OK, give me my cut, Sammy's going to get out of school soon." Sam didn't have a cell phone. His dad had said he could have one when he was responsible. Dean never argued with John, but he thought that was ridiculous. Nobody was more responsible than Sam.

"You don't get a cut," Jerry said.

"Of course I do. I've been playing pool for you, and winning, all day." Dean was about to lose it. He needed that money.

"I know, but these are all my friends. This was just to test your skills. You're good enough to play for real now."

Dean decided to let the matter drop. He couldn't afford to get arrested if he got in a fight and he had to go after Sam. "Never mind. I'm going to get my brother, he'll be out of school soon."

"Actually, I set the clock back. He's already out of school."

"What?" Dean asked. "Why would you do that?"

"Turn around," Jerry said.

Dean turned around and saw Sam flanked by two other seniors he knew from the school. "Come on, Sam, we're leaving," he said. What had he gotten them into?


	2. Dean's Job

One of the boys roughly thrust Sam into the clutches of the other. "He's not going anywhere. We need to work out your employment contract."

Sam decided to try one of those moves Dean had been teaching him. He thought he could get away from this jerk and then he and Dean could get out of here. He made his move.

Dean was proud when he saw Sam breaking the hold. He punched Jerry to create a diversion so Sam could run away.

As soon as Sam got out of the kid's grasp, he was grabbed again by the same kid. The rest of them ganged up on Dean. The kid twisted Sam's arm back. Sam cried out when he heard and felt his arm breaking at the same time.

Dean was holding his own against four guys his age, but when he heard Sam's yell, he stopped and looked up. He saw Sam with a knife to his throat and pain on his face.

Jerry followed Dean's look. "Maybe now we can get to business."

"This is crazy," Dean said.

"Take him away," Jerry said to the kid holding Sam.

"Where are you taking him? Leave him alone!" Dean demanded.

As the kid continued to drag Sam away, Sam looked back. "Dean," he said tentatively. He knew his father would be disappointed in him, but he was scared.

When Dean saw Sam's face, he lost it all over again. "You hurt my brother, I will kill you. I'll kill you all," he screamed as a couple of guys held him back.

Jerry said, "Hold up a second." He approached Sam, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and with the other hand punched him in the stomach. Sam was actually glad of his hand in his hair then, because every instinct had him wanting to bend over, but the knife was still tight to his throat.

"Are you going to behave now?" Jerry asked Dean. "Or do you want me to hurt him more?"

"No," Dean whispered. Every fiber of his being wanted to tear these guys apart, but he knew he couldn't do it before they could hurt Sammy.

Jerry nodded to the kid, and he took Sam out of the room. "Looks like we got the right leverage, boys. Why don't you have a seat, Winchester?"

Dean was thrust down into a chair. "What do you want?" he asked.

"For two weeks, you're going to go out with me and play pool. We get all the money. You win, we don't hurt your brother, and after two weeks we let you both go."

Dean didn't believe that for a second. What was to keep them from going to the cops after they were let go. But he didn't see much choice. He had to go along with them until he could get Sam out of there. He nodded his head in resignation.

"We leave in 3 hours. Throw him in with his brother until then," Jerry ordered.

"Can Sam get some food?" Dean asked. He knew what Sam had had for lunch and it wasn't much.

"If you behave yourself tonight, he'll get breakfast in the morning."

Dean was about to argue, but thought better of it. Sam wouldn't starve to death before morning.

"Give me your cell phone," Jerry said, holding out his hand for it. Dean reached into his pocket and handed it over. Unfortunately, his gun showed when he did it. He was thrown against the wall and frisked. They got everything useful on him. Then, Dean felt arms grabbing him and propelling him the way Sam was taken. Dean shook the hands off.

"I'd feel better if you'd let them hold on to you…and so would Sam," Jerry said.

Dean sighed and nodded again. The hands were back on his arms and he was led down to the basement. There was a large cage next to the far wall and he saw Sam inside it. They were treating his brother like an animal. The door was unlocked and Dean was thrust into the cage with Sam. It was quickly relocked and they were left alone.

"You OK, Sammy?" Dean asked.

Sam nodded. "What's going on?"

"They want me to play pool for them," Dean answered angrily. He still couldn't believe anybody would use his brother for that.

"Here?" Sam asked.

"No, other bars."

"You should try to get away, then," Sam said.

"They'll kill you," Dean said.

"They'll kill us anyway, Dean." Sam might have only been 13, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew there was no way these guys could let them go.

"We'll both get out of here," Dean promised. "How's your arm?" Dean changed the subject

"It's broken."

"I'm going to kill those guys," Dean promised.

Sam didn't respond. This was the first time in his life when he realized Dean couldn't protect him from everything. They were stuck in that cage with no way out.

SSS

"Enjoying the accommodations?" Jerry asked when he came down to get Dean.

"Let my brother go. I'll still play for you," Dean said.

"Yeah, right. Look, you don't talk to anyone out of my earshot. You try to get help, I make one phone call, your little brother's dead. Understand?"

"Yeah," Dean said. He knew Jerry would probably have other spies where they went, so he wouldn't try anything. Whatever escape he planned would be done from here, when he could make sure Sam got safely out.

Jerry opened the cage. "Get out," he said.

Dean got out and went up the stairs ahead of Jerry. They went to a bar across town. Jerry hustled the games and Dean played. He didn't talk to anyone more than he had to for playing. He was glad when the night was over. He wanted to get back to Sam.

"Good job, Winchester. We're up $5,000 and you won every single game, so there's no reason to punish Sam."

Dean felt his blood boil at the possibility of Sam being punished because he lost a game of pool, but he pushed it down. It wouldn't be any better if Sam was punished because he misbehaved.


	3. Escape Plan

Sam woke up when the light came on. He heard people coming downstairs. He was relieved to see that it was Jerry bringing Dean back.

"Your brother was a good boy tonight," Jerry said to Sam.

Sam knew Dean would have had a smart comeback, but he didn't. He was in a lot of pain. He just wanted to go back to sleep.

The cage was opened up again and Dean was flung inside. Jerry relocked the door and left. When he turned the light off as he shut the upstairs door, they were plunged into complete darkness.

"Whoah, it's really dark in here," Dean whispered.

"Yeah, there's no windows or anything," Sam said.

Dean maneuvered himself until he was sitting with his back to the wall next to Sam, and then he reached out for him. "Use me as a pillow, Sammy." This cement floor was really uncomfortable and Sam was already hurt.

"That won't be very comfortable for you," Sam protested.

"Just do it, Sammy. I don't feel like arguing." Dean was using his best John Winchester voice.

Sam scooted over and lay his head on Dean's lap. He fell asleep within minutes. Dean, on the other hand, sat awake planning.

SSS

"Breakfast," one of the kids Dean recognized from school called out.

Dean had filled Sam in on the plan, so they waited while the kid, Jeff or something, opened the door. As soon as it was opened, Dean rammed into him, knocking him over. Sam ran for the stairs like he was supposed to. But, when he got to the top, Jerry was waiting for him.

Sam tried to scoot past him, but Jerry grabbed his broken arm. Sam screamed. Jerry pushed him down the stairs, and Sam landed at the bottom with a grunt.

"Sam?" Dean asked.

Jerry pulled out a gun, "Get back in the cage, Dean." Instead Dean ran to Sam. He saw Jerry pointing the gun at Sam, but he really was incapable of doing anything else, until he knew Sam was OK.

"Sammy?" he asked again and rolled Sam over. Sam opened his eyes slowly.

"Dean," he whispered. He looked up, past Dean and saw Jerry with his gun.

"You have three seconds to get back in that cage, or I shoot him," Jerry said. He had been afraid they had lost their bargaining chip for a second there, so was relieved to see the brat was still alive.

Dean started to help Sam up, but Jerry interrupted with, "Just you."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"We'll take him somewhere else. If you don't know where he is, you'll be less likely to pull a stunt like that again."

"No, please. I won't do anything again. I promise." Dean couldn't let them take Sam away. He would never see him again.

Jerry cocked the gun. "3, 2…"

Dean got up and got in the cage. Jeff had gotten up in the meantime and clanged it shut behind him. "You both just lost your breakfast privileges."

Jeff grabbed Sam's good arm and shoved a gun in his back. "Get upstairs." Sam shot a quick look back at Dean, knowing that he would probably never see him again and then started up the stairs. When he got to the top, he was shepherded into an alley and shoved into an open car trunk waiting for him. The trunk was closed and moments later, he felt the car moving.

He tried to keep track of the time, so he would know where he was, but he was finding it difficult to concentrate. He had hit his head on the way down the stairs, and everything was going fuzzy inside of it. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when the car came to a stop and the trunk was opened. Sam was pulled out and saw that he was in a garage. He was pushed into the house and once again escorted into a basement.

"No cage here, kid, so you'll have to be tied up," the man Sam recognized as the bartender said.

Sam was led into a room with several sets of built-in shelves. His hands were pulled between a pole on one of the shelves. His broken arm caused him a lot of pain, but he refused to give the guy the satisfaction of a cry. His hands were tied behind him. His hands had been positioned above the second shelf, so Sam was forced to remain standing. The bartender tied Sam's feet together and then tied his body to the pole also. "That ought to hold you," he said while shoving a gag in his mouth. "I have neighbors. Can't have you yelling. He left and shut the door behind him. Sam heard him shoving something in front of it and then retreating up the stairs.

Sam was miserable. His arm was beyond killing him, he was starving and after what seemed like an hour, his legs were starting to get tired.

SSS

"Time to go, Winchester," Jerry said.

"What have you done with my brother?" Dean demanded.

"He's fine. You have nobody to blame but yourself that he was taken away from you," Jerry said. "You can talk to him on the phone when we get back tonight."

"I'll talk to him now, or I'm not going."

"You're in no position to make demands. I'll let it slide this time, but if you don't behave yourself, Sam will have to be punished. Are you ready to go?"

Dean nodded in resignation. How had he been so stupid as to let Sam be taken away from him?

They went to a different bar, and again Dean won all the games. He had to figure out how to get Sam and him out of this, because time was running out. He had 12 nights left, until they either told him he was playing forever or killed them both. He wasn't sure which would happen, but he knew they weren't letting them go.

When they got back, Jerry pulled out his phone and dialed. "Put the kid on," he said and handed Dean the phone.

"Sammy."

"Dean."

"They feed you yet?" Dean asked. Dean got to eat today, but he knew Sam hadn't been fed supper yesterday or breakfast this morning.

"Yeah, I just got some food." The bartender wouldn't untie him to eat, so he had had to be fed. It was pretty humiliating but Sam figured he had bigger problems.

"That's enough," Jerry said and grabbed away the phone. He indicated the cage and Dean got in. He had no choice but to do whatever they wanted. Jerry could have Sam killed with one phone call.


	4. Punishment

"I have to go to the bathroom," Sam said. He had been holding it all day, waiting for the bartender to come back. He was really uncomfortable.

"Nobody's stopping you," the bartender said and left, after replacing Sam's gag.

SSS

Before the bartender left for work, he went downstairs to give Sam some more food and water. "It really stinks in here," he said.

Sam glared at him. It was his fault it stank.

"Now, watch the attitude, or I won't feed and water you before I go."

Sam averted his eyes. He could smell the food and he was hungry. He was definitely thirsty. The stupid gag sopped up all the moisture in his mouth.

The bartender removed the gag and began spooning the stew into Sam's mouth. It was so hot, it was burning the inside of his mouth. He tried to spit it out, but the bartender kept shoving it in. Sam decided he was sadistic. He wished Dean would just escape. Maybe then, they would just kill him.

Finally, all the stew was gone. The bartender gave Sam two sips of water. "You don't need any more. The stew had water in it."

"Can I please have some more?" Sam asked. He could have kicked himself. His dad or Dean wouldn't beg for water from this jerk.

The bartender just laughed. "OK," he said and threw the rest of the contents of the glass on Sam's face.

"What do you say?"

"Thank you," Sam said, not knowing what else would happen to him if he didn't.

"Looks like your ropes loosened a little bit last night. Let me tighten them. Actually, I have a better idea," he said and disappeared for a minute.

Sam had a feeling that the idea wouldn't be better for him. His eyes widened when the bartender returned with barbed wire. The bartender whipped out a knife and cut the ropes from Sam's feet and rebound them tightly with the wire. Sam could feel it biting into him. He couldn't help a whimper escaping. The bartender smiled at the sound.

He cut the ropes away from Sam's body and his hands. "Put your hands up."

"What?" Sam asked.

"You heard me."

Sam painfully put his hands up and the bartender pulled his shirt up over his head. Sam let out a groan of relief when he put down his hands. It really hurt his broken arm. Unfortunately the bartender noticed.

He grabbed each of his arms and tied them to the posts above his head with the barbed wire. Then he wrapped the barbed wire around his naked torso and the cold post behind him. He gagged Sam and left him alone, cold, and bleeding.

SSS

Dean and Jerry headed out to another bar that night. Dean tried to find someone to help him, but he didn't know how he could do it without Jerry seeing him. He generally ended up playing ten games. This night was no different, except he got distracted and ended up losing the last game. Jerry didn't look happy.

When they got to the car, Jerry handed him a blindfold. "Put this on."

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Do it and don't take it off until you're told!" Jerry yelled, as he pulled out his phone. "Dean lost a game," he growled into it and hung up. "PUT IT ON!" he yelled when he saw Dean still hadn't done so.

"What are you going to do to Sam?" he asked, figuring that was the point of the phone call.

Jerry grabbed Dean and propelled him to the back of the car. He opened the trunk. He pushed Dean in and slammed the lid. "Since you wouldn't put on the blindfold."

Dean counted the time and the number of turns. Unfortunately there were too many for him to keep track of with any certainty.

"Get out," Jerry said, when they had arrived at their destination.

Dean got out of the trunk and emerged into a garage. He followed Jerry into the house and down the stairs. They entered a room where Dean saw Sam tied up with barbed wire. Barbed wire! Rope would have held him. That was over the top. Then he saw the bartender standing next to Sam.

"I heard you lost a game. Thanks. Means I get to have some fun," he said.

"I didn't mean to lose," Dean said, shakily.

"Doesn't matter," Jerry said. He grabbed a pair of handcuffs and locked Dean to the set of shelves furthest from Sam. Then, he nodded to the bartender.

He lit a match and touched it to Sam's skin. Sam felt the pain, smelled his flesh burn. He screamed from behind the gag.

"Stop!" Dean yelled.

"Shut up. We're going to burn him five times. Every time you speak, we add one time."

Dean bit on his lip to keep from saying anything more. He couldn't add to Sam's pain.

The bartender burned him again. He waited five seconds and burned him again. He repeated the process until he had burned him six times.

"Let's go," Jerry said as he unlocked Dean. Dean wasn't sure if the no speaking rule still applied so he left quietly.

"He didn't say good-bye. Probably thinks you're weak. You're practically crying like a baby."

SSS

John had been hunting a rakshasa. It had taken him longer than he thought to ID the sucker. He finally got it. It was time to head back to his boys. He hadn't called for the last week, but they were self-sufficient. He called Dean now to let him know he was coming. His call went straight to voice mail. He was going to hear about this later. Dean knew that if he wasn't in school, he was to pick up by the third ring. Oh well, he'd be back soon.

SSS

"I assume you'll play better tonight," Jerry said as he let Dean out of his cage.

Dean nodded. He had heard Sam's muffled screams in his head all night and day. He wouldn't let him go through that again. But, he could also see him bleeding where the barbed wire cut into him. He knew there would be no relief from that.


	5. The Return of John

John went back to the motel where he had left Sam and Dean. He went to the room and knocked on the door. A stranger answered the door. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Who are you?"

"John Winchester. Where are my sons?"

"I don't know anything about your kids, Mister. Just checked in today."

John turned around without further comment and went to the office. "Where are my sons?" he asked.

The manager recognized him as the man who had skipped out on his bill. Had his sons been here by themselves that whole time? "They left a few days ago. I had assumed with you. You still owe for a week."

"Where are my sons?" John roared.

"When people check out, it's not my job to follow them," the manager answered, thinking better than to try to get the lost week's rent.

John ran out of the office and tried calling Dean again. It went straight to his voice mail. Where were they?

He decided he would drive around town all night looking. All week if that's what it took. If anything happened to them while he was gone, he would never forgive himself.

He had been driving for a few hours. All the bars were closing and he saw Dean coming out of one with some other kid. He was about to get out and ream him out, but then he caught the look on his face. Something was going on. The other kid forcefully shoved Dean towards the car, and Dean did nothing to resist. That wasn't like Dean. It could only mean one thing. Sam was being threatened.

John followed the car at a distance and saw Dean being led into another bar. As hard as it was, he waited until the other kid came out. He didn't see any other people. He approached the bar and picked the lock. The place appeared empty. He checked the kitchen and the bathrooms and the office. Then he headed down to the basement. He saw Dean laying in a cage.

"Dean," he whispered.

"Dad? Where have you been?" Dean asked. At first he had been worried about his dad, but as the days went by, he had become more and more angry. If their father had come back when he was supposed to, this wouldn't have happened. Sammy would be safe.

"I'll get you out," John said and started picking the lot.

"No," Dean said. "They have Sam. You need to follow the bartender home tomorrow night."

"Dean, I can't leave you here," John said.

"That's a joke. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't left. I'm not in any danger. They're using me to win at pool. "

"Do they search you?" John asked.

"What? No."

John pulled out his cell phone and put it on vibrate. "I'll call you when I have Sam. Get away and meet us at the park across from the motel."

"OK," Dean agreed.

SSS

Sam's arms were so tired. They had been pinned up above his head by the barbed wire for what seemed like forever. His legs were no less tired. He decided if he ever got out of here, he was going to sleep, laying down, for a week. Like his dad would ever allow that. He hoped his dad was OK. He realized he had no idea what had happened to him.

SSS

Dean went with Jerry to play pool again. He lost the second game. He could only hope that Jerry would let him play the rest of the games before doing anything about Sam. If his father found him before then, he would be OK.

Jerry didn't say anything, just let him keep playing. Dean sighed in relief.

At 1:00 John went into the bar he had found Dean at. He ordered a beer and got a good look at the bartender. He drank it, trying to look as casual as possible and then went outside to wait for the bartender to leave. Shortly after they closed the bartender left. John realized Dean would be on his way back and unable to escape. He would have to rescue Sam without letting the bartender raise the alarm and get back to the bar to rescue Dean.

Jerry handed Dean the blindfold and this time he put it on. Better than riding in the trunk. Jerry made his call. "He lost."

"Your brother lost again," the bartender said, when he walked in the room. He had received the call while he was on the way back, so he had come down immediately to impart the good news. He was surprised when he heard something behind him.

"Get away from my son," he heard and turned to find an angry looking man with a gun. The bartender didn't have a weapon on him, unless you count matches, so he put his hands up and stepped to the side.

John was beyond mad. He saw burn marks on Sam's bare torso, and he could tell the barbed wire they had secured him with was really tight. He walked up to the bartender and hit him over the head with his gun. He removed the gag from Sam's mouth.

Sam tried to warn his father that Jerry would be coming soon, but his mouth was so dry, he couldn't make the words come out. "Shh. It's OK. We'll go get Dean as soon as I get you free," John promised, figuring that was what was agitating Sam.

He gently unwrapped the barbed wire. "Is your arm broken?" John asked incredulous. He really wanted to shoot the bartender, but he was afraid of what that would do to Sam. That was the only reason he hadn't shot him straight off the bat.

Sam nodded. As soon as John had finished freeing Sam, Jerry and Dean walked in. Jerry pulled out his gun and placed it at Dean's head. "Who are you?" he asked John.


	6. Clinic

As soon as John had finished freeing Sam, Jerry and Dean walked in. Jerry pulled out his gun and placed it at Dean's head. "Who are you?" he asked John.

John had put his gun down to free Sam, so found himself at a disadvantage.

"I'm their father and you'd better let him go or I'll tear you apart."

Sam slumped down to the ground. He just couldn't stand any longer. Jerry was momentarily distracted by the movement and Dean took the opportunity to disarm him. They fought for the gun. John grabbed the gun he had put down. "Stop!" he ordered.

Dean stopped, obeying his father's voice by habit. Jerry didn't. He grabbed the gun and John quickly shot him.

Dean rushed over to Sam. He eased him up to a sitting position.

"Dean, hurry up. The neighbors will have heard that shot," John said.

Dean scooped up Sam as gently as he could, trying not to jostle his broken arm. They ran out to the car and Dean eased Sam into the back seat and got in back with him.

"Dad, he needs a hospital," Dean said. Besides the broken arm and the burns, Dean could feel that he was burning up. "I think he has an infection."

John cursed. He knew Dean was right, but how was he going to explain these injuries. And he had just killed a kid. A kid the same age as Dean. That was starting to sink in. He had been so full of rage, wanting to protect his sons, but he had killed someone else's son. Granted, he had deserved it, but still.

"Do you think he can wait a few hours? I know a doctor at a clinic a couple of states over who won't ask any questions."

"I can wait," Sam answered for himself.

SSS

"Doc," John said when they went into the clinic.

"John, hunting accident?" he asked, looking past John to Sam, who was leaning against Dean.

"Not exactly, but we can't afford any questions," John said.

The doctor nodded and motioned for them to follow him into the examining room. "Nurse," he said calling to his nurse.

"We'll need an x-ray on this arm, antibiotics for an infection, he has a couple of cuts that need stitches, and we'll need to take care of these burns." All the while he was touching Sam's injuries making him flinch.

John noticed that Dean was about to do something. John placed a restraining hand on him. "I need to speak to you outside."

"But…"

"Now," John said and pulled Dean out of the room.

"He's hurting him," Dean said.

"He doesn't have the best bedside manner, but he'll fix him up and not ask questions. Dean, I killed someone back there. I left you boys alone for almost a month. If you don't want Sam taken away, we can't afford any questions."

Dean sighed. Sam was the only one who wasn't to blame for this mess, and he was the one who got hurt. "Fine."

"Where's your stuff? Sam needs clothes." He wasn't wearing a shirt and his jeans were beyond disgusting.

"I have no idea," Dean answered. It was probably at the bar, but that wouldn't do a lot of good.

John pulled out some money. "Go buy clothes for you and your brother."

"I'm not leaving him now."

"Dean, go," John commanded.

Dean was going to argue more, but realized that if he didn't go now, he'd just have to go after Sam was finished and he would be stuck here longer.

John went to look for coffee. He knew he was a bad father, but he didn't want to watch this. He had been understating when he said the doctor had a bad bedside manner. He had watched him work on other hunters, and he didn't even try to minimize any pain. John didn't want to watch that, and if there were any other option, he would have taken it.


	7. After Effects

Sam yelled out in pain. The doctor rolled his eyes. Not a lot of people brought their kids here. He was used to working on older, rougher people. He just wanted to make the yelling stop. He knew what would make him stop, so he decided to try it on the kid. "John told me he had two kids. You must be the whiney brat he always wants to get away from. Says he has to leave your brother with you because you can't do anything for yourself. You're like a five year old."

The nurse shook her head behind his back. She didn't know what had possessed this man to become a doctor, but whatever it was it had been a mistake.

It worked, though. Sam suppressed all his pain and went through the rest of the procedures silently.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

When John got back a half hour later, Sam was just getting his cast finished. John saw tears in his eyes. "How you doing, Sammy?" he asked.

"Fine," Sam mumbled.

Dean came in then. "I got you clothes, Sam."

"Thanks," Sam said.

The doctor and nurse left the room. Sam struggled trying to get dressed.

"Want some help?" Dean asked.

"No, thanks," Sam answered. He didn't want his dad to think he couldn't do it himself. Everything that had happened was his fault. If he hadn't been so useless, their dad wouldn't have left them for so long.

Dean figured Sam was mad at him. Because of him Sam had ended up barbed wired to a post for two days. He didn't blame Sam for hating him.

"Sam, let me help," John said, wanting to get out of there. Sam was taking forever, not that it was his fault. He had a broken arm and was sure to be in a lot of pain from his other injuries. This doctor didn't believe in pain killers. Luckily for Sam, John did. He would give him some when they got to a motel.

"I can do it, Dad," Sam said, worried that John would leave again, the minute they got settled.

"Sam, stop being ridiculous," John yelled. He regretted it as soon as he did. Sam had been yelled at and hurt the last few days. The last thing he needed was more yelling.

Sam just handed his father his shirt, so he could put it on for him.

"Let's go," John said and helped Sam down off the table.

Dean decided to get in front to give Sam the room he needed to stretch out in back and give him space from him as well.

Sam thought Dean was mad at him, too. Dean had had to spend time in a cage and play pool, just because Sam wasn't strong enough to get away.

Sam decided that from now on, things were going to change. And knowing all that he had to do, he fell asleep.

"He's asleep, Dad," Dean said when they pulled up to a motel.

"Stay with him while I get us a room."

Dean watched Sam sleeping. He had come so close to losing him. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to know that the whole pool thing was a set up, but he had to be more diligent in protecting Sam.

When his father came back, he opened the back door and started to lift Sam up. Sam woke up. "I can walk myself," Sam said.

Dean tried to at least let Sam lean on him, but Sam stubbornly refused his help.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The next morning, John made an announcement. "We move around enough, it shouldn't make a difference. You boys aren't going to go to school anymore." If they didn't have to go to school, they could come on all his hunts and something like this wouldn't happen again.

"Dad, Sam loves school," Dean protested. It didn't seem fair to totally steal the rest of Sam's childhood. Even he wasn't hunting full-time at 13.

"It's OK, Dean," Sam said. He would miss school, but he didn't want to cause anybody any more trouble.

"So, it's settled," John said. "Sam, you should rest today. Dean, we need to replenish the first aid kit. Can you go get this stuff?" he said, handing Dean a list. "I'm going to go get some groceries."

"Should we leave Sam alone?" Dean asked.

"I'll be fine," Sam said.

Dean shrugged and left.

SSS

Dean got back the same time John did. "Wait up a sec," he said while they were still outside.

"What is it?" John asked.

"I'm worried about Sam. He's acting weird."

"What do you mean?" John asked. Sam had seemed fine to him.

"He's not arguing with you about not going to school or anything."

"You want him to argue with me?"

"It's not that I want him to argue with you. But it's what he does," Dean pointed out.

"Well, he's probably just tired. He'll probably argue with me later."

Dean rolled his eyes. His father just didn't get it. And with Sam so mad at him, John would be the only one who had a hope of getting Sam to talk to him. They went inside.

"I heard you guys talking outside," Sam said. "Everything that happened was my fault. I know the reason you stayed away so long was that I'm whiney and I'm always arguing with you, so I won't do it anymore."

"What makes you think that?" John asked.

"The doctor told me that you told him I'm a whiney brat and you like to get away from me," Sam admitted. Dean deserved to know why Dad was always gone so long.

"Did you say that?" Dean asked.

"No," John was barely able to contain his rage. "I never said that Sammy. I don't feel that way. Of course I don't like it when you argue with me, but I love you and I'm only away from you as long as I have to be."

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Of course," John answered.

"So, it wasn't my fault?" Sam asked.

"No, it was mine. I thought that was why you were mad at me," Dean said.

"I'm not mad at you," Sam said in confusion. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"You wouldn't let me help you last night."

"So Dad wouldn't think I was a wimp."

John laughed. "I'm glad we broke our rule about never talking about anything. This could have gotten out of hand. Sam, do you want to continue to go to school?"

"Yes," Sam admitted and looked down.

"OK, then," John said. He didn't like it, but he wouldn't let Sam feel responsible for what happened.

"I'm dropping out," Dean said. "I can make money while you're off hunting," Dean said.

"OK," John agreed.

"I can stay by myself," Sam said.

"No," John and Dean said together.

"You were leaving Dean alone with me when he was younger than me," Sam pointed out.

"And I'm not going to make the same mistakes all over again." John said it a bit louder than he intended and noticed Sam flinch. All the decisions had been made so he decided they should stop talking about it. "What do you boys want for lunch?"

The End


End file.
